Cover Story
David Colaizzi
founder and CEO, Five Star Development Inc.
Smart Business | October 2008
If you’re going to help others create their
dream corporate culture, you have to be
able to lead by example. That is David
Colaizzi’s style at Five Star Development
Inc.
Being a consulting firm, Colaizzi consulted with every Five Star employee about
refurbishing the company culture. And the
strategy paid off — when the CEO surveyed his employees about their sentiments regarding the old working environment vis-à-vis the new one built from that
study, the results were overwhelmingly
positive, indicating significant improvement in team-building, cross-departmental
partnerships and a feeling of employee
empowerment. The quantifiable evidence
of the staff’s satisfaction existed, as well:
Last year, Five Star experienced zero
turnover.
Colaizzi’s project of the moment is organizing the firm’s move to a more visible location in the city’s historic North Side. The company’s new home offers plenty of outlets for creativity; the 100-year-old former
bedding factory has been renovated to
house offices, and the unique structure
lends itself well for incorporating more
environmentally friendly designs. Now,
Five Star not only has a fun new location to
boost morale but can boast being a greener company, as well.
When it comes to giving back, Colaizzi
takes a twofold approach. At the macro
level, he pushed for environmentally conscientious practices through the company’s relocating. At the micro level, he created and implemented Five Star Cares, a volunteer donation program that works to
make a positive impact on the Pittsburgh
community. This year, the program set a
$10,000 fund-raising goal.
Investing in his company and community
led to great returns for Colaizzi. Five Star
maintains consistent growth every year —
averaging about 25 percent. And about 70 percent of business comes from repeat
clients or referrals, often from Fortune 500
companies such as American Eagle and
Visa. Colaizzi works to make sure his company continues to exceed growth expectations by keeping the Five Star name a
buzzword in the industry, whether it’s
through recognition in Inc. magazine’s
2008 list of 5,000 fastest-growing companies or through speaking at events
around the country or maintaining partnerships with such organizations as
Microsoft and Denison. With Colaizzi,
it’s all of the above.
HOW TO REACH: Five Star Development Inc., (412) 338-1412
or www.fivestardev.com
